entertainment

Genndy Tartakovsky and his team of animators created Samurai Jack - a shaggy dog story about a time traveling samurai who must free a dystopian Earth from the demon lord Aku - in 2001. Since its initial release on Cartoon Network, the show has gained a massive cult following thanks to its imaginative visuals and gorgeous storytelling. Fans have been enjoying the show's return in 2017, and a whole new generation have started following the adventures of the brave ronin.

You could come to the fifth season of Samurai Jack totally ignorant of the show's history, plot, and characters and still be left in awe at its unrelenting eye candy. Every frame is part Chinese wood block, Soviet illustration, American Western, French new wave, Japanese manga panel, and post-Anthropocene projection. The original pilot featured Jack being educated all over the world, shifting in art style to match the cultures, and the show made a point of being a kaleidoscopic convergence of pan-human art and storytelling. Whether it was remixing Spy vs Spy or Akira Kurosawa, Samurai Jack was a celebration of empathy by way of artistic expression, a bold call out for cross cultural appreciation, and, ultimately, understanding.